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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 31, L02114, doi:10.1029/2003GL018638, 2004

Lidar observations of polar mesospheric clouds at Rothera, Antarctica (67.5°S, 68.0°W)

Xinzhao Chu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA


Graeme J. Nott

Physical Science Division, British Antarctic Survey, UK


Patrick J. Espy

Physical Science Division, British Antarctic Survey, UK


Chester S. Gardner

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA


Jan C. Diettrich

Physical Science Division, British Antarctic Survey, UK


Mark A. Clilverd

Physical Science Division, British Antarctic Survey, UK


Martin J. Jarvis

Physical Science Division, British Antarctic Survey, UK


Abstract

Polar mesospheric clouds (PMC) were observed by an Fe Boltzmann temperature lidar at Rothera (67.5°S, 68.0°W), Antarctica in the austral summer of 2002–2003. The Rothera PMC are much weaker, less frequent, and not as high as the PMC observed at the South Pole. The mean PMC altitude is 83.74 ± 0.25 km, which is approximately 1.3 km lower than the South Pole clouds. A comparison of numerous cloud observations indicates that southern hemisphere PMC are about 1 km higher than northern clouds at similar latitudes. Lidar measurements also show that the mesopause region temperatures at Rothera in late January are warmer than at the South Pole, while the Fe layer at Rothera has higher density and a lower peak altitude compared to the summertime Fe layer at the South Pole. These Fe density and temperature observations are qualitatively consistent with the PMC observations.

Received 15 September 2003; accepted 30 October 2003; published 29 January 2004.

Index Terms: 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801); 0320 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Cloud physics and chemistry; 0340 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Middle atmosphere—composition and chemistry; 3360 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Remote sensing; 0394 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Instruments and techniques.

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Citation: Chu, X., G. J. Nott, P. J. Espy, C. S. Gardner, J. C. Diettrich, M. A. Clilverd, and M. J. Jarvis (2004), Lidar observations of polar mesospheric clouds at Rothera, Antarctica (67.5°S, 68.0°W), Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L02114, doi:10.1029/2003GL018638.